Save Pegah Emambakhsh August 23, 2007

An iranian citizen refuged in London, Pegah Emambakhsh, will be deported back to Tehran on flight BA6655, departing from Heathrow tonight at 21.55. Pegah is a lesbian and the iranian government sentenced to death by lapidation her lover two years ago, when Pegah flied the country. She is destined to the same fate if the english government does not stop her return to Iran.

Death by lapidation is way more cruel and inhumane than other ways to kill a human being. The agony can last for tens of minutes as smaller stones are thrown first, to be followed by others that break the bones, until deathly blows are inflicted on the head. If you are a death penalty aficionado, you still should find it repulsive, leaving alone the outrage of killing a person whose only guilt is her homosexual love.

Pegah is detained in Yarlswood (Sheffield), but if her departure is not delayed or canceled, she is probably already on her way to Heathrow. Hopes to prevent her flight to a horrendous death for a sexual preference which is not a crime in more civilized countries than Iran are getting thinner by the minute.

Thousands of emails have flooded the english government from around the world, asking to stop the deportation. Members of the European Parliament had also started a mobilitation a few days ago, but in response the english visa office seems to have actually anticipated the departure to tonight, to prevent the protest from being successful.

UPDATE: the extradition has been delayed only a few hours ago to the 28th of August. There are still four more days, therofore, for a civil action to stop the lapidation of Pegah. If you are in speaking terms with any member of the british government, please get your ass off the chair and do what you should have already.

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Sadly she committed a capital crime in Iran and the extradition treaty has to stand – even when we deplore what is going to happen.

Fortunately she’s a woman and they are burried to the shoulders, which prevents any chance of self defense and therefor speeds the death somewhat. It’s still brutal – and something I’d just as soon never see again. But law and treaties must prevail in these times, though it is certainly time to revisit the need for those treaties!

Well J, I agree with you, but I think jonolan was just stating the reality of things. The treaty does not, as you correctly say, imply a country must doggedly follow it if it goes against its inner, profound beliefs, such as the respect for human life and freedom.

jonolan, no justification to England. If they extradite her, I think it shows there is no big difference between the iranian and british governments in the respect of human rights. Sometimes a country’s leaders have to show their balls. I would not go to war with Iran because of that, but these are diplomatic incidents that usually clear up after some ping-pong. No need to bow on this one. Shame on Britain today.

It all comes down to which is more important to you, your Nation’s ability to be believed when it enters an international agreement or your own morality. And how would you feel if Iran refused to extradite a criminal to England?

j,

I’ve attending – not particularly willingly – a stoning; its much more brutal for a male victim than a female. I was offering what cold comfort I could – not much I know.

Tommaso, I thought that the EU had banned the death penalty and EU states were not allowed to extradite anyone unless the receiving country guaranteed that the death penalty would not be imposed.
However, my memory is about an old case of someone arrested in France and charged with murder in the USA, so I may be wrong or out of date or both.
Anyhow, my question is:
Could the EU bar this extradition ?
Is anyone running to the proper EU authorities to stop it?

“Sadly she committed a capital crime in Iran and the extradition treaty has to stand – even when we deplore what is going to happen”

I could curse you i could wish the same hell upon you but id rather PRAY FOR YOU….. you have absolutely NO COMPASSION, you cannot be human and if so, what a disgrace

& PLS do not respond for I will not be returning to this site again, i cannot fathom a blacker heart than yours

(and WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL ???? you were an avid spectator at this alleged stoning were you? the fact that you openly admitted that is absolute MADNESS because you evidently weren’t quite so bothered by it)

im sorry for sounding the way I FEEL but we are all human and there’s so much destruction and chaos in our world -when are we going to take a stand and help those who cannot help themselves? Rather than live like some cowards blinding ourselves with the justification that well, a law was broken, WHY SHOULD ANYONE GOVERN WHO YOU LOVE?

Tommaso, browsing the web (actually searching Google News) I found a web page of http://www.churchtimes.co.uk that said:
“… Samar Razavi, aged 29, was told she did not have to board the plane to Tehran on Wednesday of last week, after Ann Widdecombe MP raised her case at Prime Minister’s Question Time. …
she … had converted from Islam to Christianity because of her Christian boyfriend … the Iranian authorities had issued a death warrant while Ms Razavi was in England …”.

So, it is not only sexual preference,
but also religious preference,
that can lead to a death sentence in Iran.

Tony Smith

PS – News articles in both cases seem to refer to deportation rather than extradition, which may make some technical legal difference, but that raises two questions:
1 – Is the UK allowed under EU rules to deport people to be killed ?
2 – Why doesn’t the UK give the victim the choice of which country to be sent by deportation ? For example, if the victim doesn’t want to go to Iran to be killed, and if some other country (Italy, USA, whatever) would be willing to take the victim, why not send the victim there ?

Kea, as to the relative importance of religion and sex in the Samar Razawi case,
according to a web page of http://www.hopefm.com:
“… The death warrant states that any who ‘backslides’ deserves ‘to be stoned to death’. It adds: ‘The condemned (referring to Samar) is to attend within 10 days after receiving this verdict otherwise this verdict is enforceable.’ The warrant was issued on 21st May by the Islamic Revolutionary Court. …”.

Although I am not familiar with details of Iranian law,
it seems to me that the religious aspect (backsliding from Islam to Christianity) is a necessary element to support the death warrant,
although
it also seems to me likely that the fact that she was an Islamic woman with a non-Islamic boyfriend may have been a factor that alienated the court and motivated it to emphasize religious backsliding in order to seek the death penalty.

I also think that Samar may have received significant polical support (an MP bringing the case up during Question Time for PM Brown) in the UK because of Christian tradition/culture there.

As to the death penalty in Pegah’s case (lesbian relationship), it is interesting that the Quran (Sura 4 15 ) says that women guilty of lewdness (probably including lesbianism) should be confined until death, NOT killed,
and
it is only in the Hadith that lesbianism is equated with adultery and therefore penalized by death.

If anyone more familiar with Iranian Islamic law can give a justification for elevating Pegah’s warrant to a death penalty (in apparent violation of the clear wording of Sura 4 15 of the Quran), I would be interested in seeing it.

That’s an interesting point about the Quran, but I’m not expecting the Revolutionary Court to respect it when it comes to women’s rights. A threat (to dogma) is a threat, after all. It would be interesting to find statistics on numbers of men vs women who, after publicising their sexuality, are actually sentenced to death for this crime.

Kea, I agree, the conditions of women in much of the world are pitiful. However, I believe that fighting for human rights does involve a bit of picking up cases that get hyped by the media. It is only by doing that that you bring the issue to the attention of the sleepy majority.

About the “reason” why women (or men) are denied basic human rights in islamic countries, I prefer to avoid commenting. After all, as Riqie points out above, one of the largest businesses in deliberate suppression of human lives is in the “civil” United States. (Ok, they have to work real hard to challenge China on that one).

I’m not popular here, but I’l add one more comment – referencing my original comments:

If this is a “deportation” – i.e. Immigration issue as opposed to an “extradition” issue – i.e. International Treaty, then the UK would be just plain wrong in forcing her to go to Iran. Political Asylum is an accepted practice an ddoes not violate treaties – much.

She now has some excellent legal representation. Her barrister comes from the chambers of one of the leading human rights and civil liberties advocates in the UK. We believe Pegah now has the best legal team we could hope for.

Representations will be made by her lawyers and her MP to the Border & Immigration Agency on Tuesday 28th August.

We are very grateful for the huge upsurge of support from around the world. Many, many thanks to you all.

For those of you who are interested in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s punishment code for gay people you will find it summarised here:

The “Islamic Republic of Iran’s punishment code” cited in the comment by the Friends of the Pegah Campaign says:
“Article 131: If mosaheqeh [lesbian act] is repeated three times and the hadd [punishment of 100 lashes] has been carried out on each occasion, the hadd punishment on the fourth occasion will be death.”.

So,
it seems that if she continues in her chosen lifestyle, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s punishment code says that she should get 100 lashes three times and then be killed,
which seems even worse than “just” killing her.

Since a http://www.pinknews.co.uk article dated 24 August 2007s says
“… A spokesperson for Italian government has confirmed that they will grant ayslum to a lesbian woman due to be deported from the UK to Iran. …”,
it would be shameful (to say the least) for the UK to deport her to Iran.

Further, I maintain that the “death” provision of Article 131 of the “Islamic Republic of Iran’s punishment code” is a blatant violation of the Quran (Sura 4 15) and
that the Islamic Republic of Iran, by enacting that provision, has itself intentionally insulted the Quran, and therefore is itself guilty of blasphemy.

The issue is clouded by her converting to Christianity. That is the crime of Apostacy in Iran. Apostacy carries a mandatory death sentence! It may NOT be about lesbianism at all. Though you’re sort of right, the death penalty for lesbianism is not supported by the Quran or most of the commentaries.

jonolan,
thanks for your statements that
“… converting to Christianity … is the crime of Apostacy in Iran. Apostacy carries a mandatory death sentence! …”
and
“.. the death penalty for lesbianism is not supported by the Quran or most of the commentaries …”.

I have been talking about two different cases:

1 – Samar, who is a female heterosexual who converted to Christianity because her boyfriend is Christian, and against whom an Apostacy death warrant has been issued

and

2 – Pegah, who is a lesbian (and as far as I know not converted to Christianity), and fears getting 100 lashes three times and then being killed under Article 131 of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s punishment code.

It is interesting that both Samar and Pegah are now at the same time in the UK fighting against being deported to Iran,
and
it is easy to get the two cases confused with each other.

As you say:
Samar’s Apostacy death warrant is not directly related to her sexual activity
and
Article 131 that threatens Pegah is not supported by the Quran and shows that has the Islamic Republic of Iran is guilty of blasphemy against the Quran.

This is just unbelievable. The capacity of British governments to behave as swine is well-known but I can’t believe they would stoop so low as to do this. The British people themselves are decent enough though, and the British press is second to none (in my perhaps naive opinion) so I would expect/hope that if this were brought to their attention they would cover it and there would be a public outcry. The swine who ordered this deportation wouldn’t enjoy this, and would be quite likely to revise their decision once the public spotlight is on them. But I’m shocked to find from a search of google news that there doesn’t seem to be any mainstream media coverage of this story. It would seem the people behind the campaign to help this woman are doing a bad job publicizing her situation, or perhaps they lack credibility (e.g. if they are activist types who have cried wolf in the past). Someone should bring this to the attention of Newsnight’s Jeremy Paxman, it would be right up his alley (assuming that he is still fronting that program – it’s been a while since i was in the UK). Well, in case no one else has tried it I’ll see if I can find his email…

Pegah Emambakhsh, the United Kingdom review the case, Italy offers asylum and a house.

Rome, 25 August 2007.
Italy declares to be available to receive Pegah, granting her asylum. Roberto Malini, Matteo Pegoraro, Dario Picciau and Steed Gamero of the EveryOne Group have yesterday met the agents-general of the United Kingdom at the British Embassy in Italy.
“The First Minister Gordon Brown is paying particular attention to the case of the Iranian refugee”, they have assured, “and we’re approaching the case with a solution that respects the conventions for the Human Rights”.

The EveryOne Group has provided to the English government some important documents, including a sentence to death emitted and published from the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding Pegah Emambakhsh.
Moreover, for who doubted of the fact that Pegah is lesbian, some letters of lesbian women who live in Iran that testimony the
refugee is subscribed to the GLBT locate community, obviously a clandestine community.

In the meanwhile Barbara Pollastrini, Italian Minister for Rights and Equal Opportunities, after she joined to the appeal of the EveryOne Group, has promoted the plan to receive Pegah in Italy and her initiative has been already undersigned by important political personalities: the firsts to join have been the Minister of Social Solidarity Paul Ferrero, the Minister for the Foreign Affairs Emma Bonino and the Minister of Justice Clemente Mastella. The Mayor of Venice Massimo Cacciari has already found a house for Pegah. The Mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni asks for being able to receive her in the capital city of Italy. The Members of Italian Parliament Franca Bimbi – President of the Committee on EU Policie – and Franco Grillini joined the appeal of EveryOne Group and the proposal of Barbara Pollastrini.

In the meantime, in UK, an important legal office has decided to defend pro bono the Iranian lesbian, so that she receives the asylum she has the right to receive.
Italy, has explained the vice-minister for Foreign countries Patrizia Sentinelli, has activated “all the diplomatic channels” in order to convince London not to deport the woman to the Iranians authorities and “has founded hopes that this initiative goes for good. If Pegah at the end will be expelled, we will be ready to receive her”.

The mobilitation in favour of Pegah, promoted from the EveryOne Group, collects an increasing and cross-sectional consent to the political coalitions.
Also Forza Italia – through the voice of the vice-coordinator Fabrizio Cicchito – declared to be favorable to receive in Italy the woman. Ds, Greens and Italian Radicals today have joined to the sit-in of monday afternoon in front the British embassy in Rome promoted from Arcigay, Arcilesbica and from the EveryOne Group, that it will introduce to the press and the authorities copies of the international norms that regulate the asylum and some European sentences of people that in the same conditions of Pegah have obtained asylum. Emblematic sentences in order to eliminate the chaos that regards the application of the norms of the Conventions and finally to define a common directive, focused to the respect of the Human Rights and not to non homogeneous decisions, often contradicting each other, case by case.

Iran’s government behaves deplorably to women and a lot of other people. Experience with the Home Office is that they appease fanatics and bomb-throwers, while making life difficult for the rest of us. Best wishes for Pegan and thank you Tommaso for posting this.

[…] to read, maybe you will too. Finally, let me mention that Louise defends me by mentioning my recent post discussing the case of Pegah Emambakhsh, which I wrote because I only found it a moral obligation to diffuse outrage about the story in the […]

Dear Friends, the Campaign of Flowers, as well as the entire
Campaign for Pegah, is based on the recovery of the values of
brotherhood and solidarity in actions for the
defence of human rights.

We live in a difficult age and unfortunately the governments, the
magistracy and often the most well-known humanitarian
organisations in the world have relegated the Universal Declaration
of Human rights, the Convention on the Status of Refugees and other
rules on which we base our level of civilisation and respect of
minorities behind other priorities: security, immigration
control, the defence of nations and families.

The EveryOne Group is committed to defending the dignity and lives
of refugees, but also to reminding the European governments
that laws concerning human rights exist, they are very clearly stated
and they must not be deliberately misinterpreted. To deport the
refugees towards unjust sentences is a crime against humanity and
there are no alibis for governments who are stained with such
crimes.

To sacrifice human rights for “security”, for the concept
of “nation” is the same principle on which the National Socialist
Party based its rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s.
The EveryOne Group was created from an ideal and grows every day.
We work day and night in contact with the activists,
with the people who believe in human rights and with the better side
of the political world in order to contribute towards changing things.

Many people are asking us what will happen to Pegah now. Friends,
I have been studying persecutions and genocides
for the last 30 years, I have published books, made documentaries
and organized exhibitions, I am the curator of museums
about the Holocaust and Genocides.

Unfortunately it is easy to read the minds of Gordon Brown and
Jacqui Smith in this moment. They are angry because the problem
of the arbitrary and unjust deportations has come to light.
I hope I’m wrong, but the history of persecution generally repeats
a pattern. I believe the UK Government is once again studying
a way to refuse Pegah asylum, motivating the decision
thus: “Pegah is unable to prove she is homosexual and
therefore we believe her case has been inflated”.

I don’t believe they will deport her to Iran because they know
she would be faced with torture and murder. According to the
Convention (that they are well aware of) they will give her
all the time she needs to find a third country willing to grant her asylum.
And Italy will enter the game. With this formula, the UK Government
is confident of savings its face, saving the
political career of Jacqui Smith (which is otherwise at risk) and,
after a period of caution for fear of an international scandal,
continue the deportations of refugees towards their death.

This is the truth, and if those who read these lines, think it over
and continue to accept this situation, they will become accomplices
of indifference and the new genocide.

The members of the EveryOne group will not do that, they will
continue to speak out for and write about the truth. And there’s only one truth:
homosexuality cannot be proven, because it is a state of the
mind. To ask for video or photographic evidences would be the most
serious violation of the intimacy and dignity of a human being.
To ask for signed testimonies would mean exposing the witnesses
in their native land to persecution and sentences. Moreover,
it would be a violation of the privacy of the witnesses themselves,
even in a democratic country, not only in a regime, to force them to
”come out”.
To ask for documents related to a sentence in the countries
of origin goes against human rights conventions that state
that the request for testimony must be related to local
laws. If in Iran homosexuality is persecuted, those who declare their
homosexuality in the country in which they request asylum have the right
to be recognized as a refugee and to be granted asylum. Without any “ifs”
or “buts”. The rest is just criminal and repressive politics.

To get back to Pegah, she is an extraordinary woman and is a
symbol of the new fury against the weak and different. We must
continue to watch over her, but we must also ask
quite firmly for respect of the international laws that protect
refugees in the future. We must also
urge the media – TV and press – not to fill our heads with
frivolity and false problems, but to help us when we bring
cases of violation of human rights to their attention, because the British press
has shown itself to be at the service of those in power, to be unable
to understand and report the truth, at the cost of hiding
serious cases like Pegah Emambakhsh’s.

If the individual citizens don’t represent the pride, the freedom
and the civilization of the United Kingdom, the country will slip
into a regime that the citizens themselves are creating.

We have the same problems here in Italy and we must commit ourselves
in the same way. There is a campaign underway right now,
one of discrimination and oppression against the Roma and Sinti (Gypsies).
Like during the Nazi period, the authorities are pursuing
pedlars and beggars and the press is supporting this persecution.
And as if this weren’t enough, we too treat the problem of asylum for refugees
in a superficial and unjust manner. More flowers are
needed!
A shower of flowers and common sense! We must stick by Pegah,
my friends, and keep our eyes open wide, so that the horizon of
human rights won’t become just a distant line.

[…] is free! September 12, 2007 Posted by dorigo in politics, news. trackback Great news: Pegah Emambakhsh, the iranian lesbian who had sought asylum in Britain, has been freed yesterday evening. She is […]

Considering how Iran is one of the most backward, repressive countries on the planet, it was extremely brave of Emambakhsh and her partner to not conform to Iran’s insane social mandates. It’s a shame that her partner was tortured but it’s also a shame that the first hearing for her asylum in the U.K. did not take her pleas seriously. How could a British court not understand that any LGBT person’s life is truly in danger in Iran?

I do not consider Iran among the most backward countries, they have for instance a good education system. However, they are indeed plagued by a repressive regime. I share your views on the shameful conduct of the brits in this affair. However, it was fortunately not too late to correct their mistakes.